Flotation of silver from the leaching residues of copper cinders

Abstract

The possibility of using 2-ethylhexanoic acid hydrazide (Hydrazex 18i) as a collector in the silver recov- ery from the leaching residues of copper cinders has been considered. The effect of pulp pH, reagent concentration and pretreatment of residue with sulfuric acid on flotation performance has been studied. An improvement in silver flotation characteristics (concentrate quality and recovery) with Hydrasex 18i compared to sodium butyl xanthate has been shown. The principal possibility of enrichment of silver-poor products in acidic and alkaline media with the help of the proposed reagent has been established.